Beavercreek Township holds the top spot in the county with the total residential construction valuation of $61 million — 96 percent higher than any other municipality.

Sales tax collection continued on trend and increased to just over $27 million. General property tax collection increased by 1 percent to just over $38 million collected in 2016, the most recent year for reporting.

The Convention & Visitors Bureau also reported its biggest year in history — increasing 13 percent with a $1 million lodging revenue — credited to the Mills Park Hotel and SpringHill Suites.

Newman continued the positivity, reporting annual employment inching upward in 2016, the most recent reported year, reaching its highest level yet. Total wages reached a record $2.5 million.

The county averaged 4.3 percent in unemployment, comparing to the nation’s 4.4 percent and the state’s 5 percent. As of February, the county average was down to 3.9 percent.

“Many of us would consider low unemployment rate as a positive indicator but at 3.9 percent our businesses struggle to find a skilled workforce they need,” Newman said. “Moving forward we need to not only differentiate our region from everyone else trying to attract skilled employees but to commit and develop programs within the county that provide a skilled workforce to our industries here.”

The county is doing this through the Greene County Career Center’s Take Flight Initiative.

Take Flight — which expands programming to include aviation, aerospace, engineering, manufacturing and information technology — has already reached Beavercreek middle schoolers. Recent state funding will go toward facilities and equipment to train airframe and power plant technicians, including at the Greene County Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport.

The airport recently completed construction of a corporate hangar. A public water and sewer extension to the airport is in the works. And the airport is extending its runway to allow for larger corporate and business jets.

Newman additionally credited the county’s prosperity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — and its 27,000 employees, 60,000 indirect jobs and more than $4 billion in economic impact.

Communities experienced significant development over the year, too.

Fairborn: Spark Fairborn, a kitchen incubator initiative, already opened The Neighborhood Nest. Major employers like Menards and Pepsi are also coming, and bringing jobs.

Beavercreek: Up-and-coming companies — which have built or will build — include Frontier Technology, Inc., Matrix Research, Inc. and MacAulay-Brown, Inc. Russ Research Center continues development.

Xenia: The REACH Center broke ground. Hamption Inn & Suites should be completed soon. Downtown is developing — including new Devil Wind Brewing. Development for the former Kmart is expected to begin this year. And Greene Regional Business Park has obtained certified-site authentication.

Yellow Springs: The village added 3,000 solar panels to its electrical grid. It received a $65,000 grant from Ohio Department of Transportation to improve cyclist and pedestrian safety. And Cresco Labs is building.

Newman spoke of 2017, but looked to the future.

“Efforts will be directed toward creating a diversified economic base and attracting, developing and retaining a competitive workforce,” he said.

Anna Bolton | Greene County News Director of Department of Development Paul Newman Jr. updated community members on the county’s economic development April 20 at the Fairborn Holiday Inn.

https://www.beavercreeknewscurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2018/04/web1_Newman1.jpgAnna Bolton | Greene County News Director of Department of Development Paul Newman Jr. updated community members on the county’s economic development April 20 at the Fairborn Holiday Inn.

Newman: 2017 ‘best year ever’

By Anna Bolton

abolton@aimmediamidwest.com

Contact Anna Bolton at 937-502-4498 or follow @annadbolton on Facebook.